Ok, folks. Less than 2 weeks until Christmas!

If you’re anything like me, you probably JUST remembered about 5 people you want to get gifts for, but time and Christmas funds are running out. ;)

Never fear!

I’ve got the perfect solution: Herb Salt.

This gift is:

Inexpensive. Each jar costs less than $2, depending on where you buy your ingredients.
Easy and quick. You might even have all the ingredients in your house right now!
Elegant. This may be an inexpensive gift, but it looks so fancy!
Consumable (and practical)… because nobody needs more stuff cluttering up their house!
Appropriate for nearly everyone. No need to worry about food allergies!

What is Herb Salt?

Herb Salt is something I made up one December when I was trying to think of a consumable gift idea for my family members.

Years ago, our family decided that we would only buy gifts for the children in the family. The adults would exchange small consumable gifts, as all of us were trying to reduce clutter in our households.

I wanted something a little different than the usual jams and baked goods I usually made, so I looked in my pantry to see what I could find… and discovered I had LOTS of herbs that I had dried from my garden, along with some fancy sea salt.

So I started mixing… a little bit of this, a little bit of that… sample, taste….mmmmm… perfection!

When I gave it away that year, everyone LOVED it. The only complaint - they used it up too fast and wished they had more! Ha! This year I’ll be making larger batches.

This “recipe” (I use that term loosely) is easy, quick and fun. It’s a great recipe to make with kids!

How to Make Herb Salt

Here’s what you need:

4 TBSP of SEA SALT or KOSHER SALT: My favorite salt to use is “Light Gray Celtic Sea Salt” by Selina Naturally, since it is slightly damp and the herbs adhere well to the salt. Kosher Salt will work too, but you may need to stir in a few drops of water so the herbs will stick to the salt.
1 TSP of ONION POWDER
1 TSP of GARLIC POWDER
1 TSP of DRIED LEAFY HERBS, crushed into powder: Parsley, basil, sage, thyme, marjoram, chervil, rosemary, etc. are all great choices. Use what you have on hand!
MORTAR AND PESTLE: Use this to grind the herbs into powder. You could also use a clean coffee grinder or place the herbs in a bag and mash them with a rolling pin… but a mortar and pestle is the most fun, especially for kids.
4 OZ MASON JARS (with lids and rings) or similar sized jar

Method:

Scoop the salt into a 4oz Ball mason jar (the smallest size).
Add the Onion Powder and Garlic Powder.
Combine a small amount of each type of herb (about a tsp of each). Using a mortar and pestle, grind the herbs as finely as possible. They should eventually turn into a green powder. You could also use a clean coffee grinder or put the herbs in a plastic baggie and roll over the bag repeatedly with a rolling pin.
Add 1 tsp of the powdered herbs to the jar.
Place the lid and ring on the jar and shake until everything is thoroughly combined. The salt grains will be greenish colored.
Have extra powdered herbs? Store them in a jar and save them for the next batch of Herb Salt!

A Great Gift Idea

After you done making the herb salt, feel free to get a little fancy with the presentation!

You can keep it simple with mason jar labels or you can dress it up even more.

I like to use holiday themed paper to decorate the jars. It’s as simple as tracing the outline of the canning lid onto paper and cutting it out. Ta-da! Simple, easy and beautiful.

Now that you’ve made it, why not make a few more jars to keep on hand? This Herb Salt is the perfect gift any time of the year and your gift recipients will love it.

This herb salt makes a great gift for:

Bus Drivers
Teachers
Hair Dresser
Your mail carrier
Family
Friends
Myself… I love it too! Ha!
Anyone you want to make feel special.

How to Use the Herb Salt

Seriously, this stuff is so good, you’ll find yourself using it on everything! Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Roasted or Grilled Meats
Marinades
Roasted Vegetables
Soups or stews
Dips
Casseroles
Scrambled eggs/quiche/frittata
Anything that needs a little extra flavor!

Hope you enjoy the recipe! Let me know if you try it!

Do you have any “go-to” last minute gift ideas? I’d love to hear them! I’m always trying to build my “Gift Idea” list.

If you haven’t checked out the recipe for my DIY Chocolate Peppermint Balm, be sure to take a peek. Everybody LOVES it.

Herb Salt Recipe